Protector
by XxShatteredAngelxX
Summary: People always consider Neji the protector, but Team Gai doesn't understand why. Lee-centric. Team Gai friendship.


Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who is reading this, and thank you for everyone who reviewed my last story 'Broken'! (Your reviews really meant the world to me, and inspired me to write another story) This is my second story, so once again, please let me know what you think! This story was inspired by Rock Lee, because almost every story I read portrays him as some crazy, annoying guy. I don't think people give him enough credit. So I really think Lee fans will like it! I hope you guys like the story and remember to review! I'm still pretty new at this!_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

He wasn't always like that, so full of energy. He was making up for the childhood he was robbed of. He never got to play with the other kids. He never knew what it was like to be accepted. He didn't have time to be full of energy. He didn't even have time to be a kid, because when he wasn't fighting off bullies or feeling sorry for himself, he was training.

Lee spent hours training, days even, he was forced to adapt to an adult's training schedule at the age of 10. At the time, he didn't even have a hope of graduating, just a hope of becomming **better**. So when the time came, he could be something he never was before. **Useful**.

That was when Gai found him. Gai helped that little lost boy become something. He helped him, because Lee reminded him of himself. It seemed that each generation had at least one. Each generation had at least one hopeless ninja. The older generation had Gai, their generation had Lee, and the younger generation had Naruto. The difference with Lee was he wasn't recognized for it. He wasn't recognized by anyone except bullies. He didn't pull pranks to get attention like Naruto did. He didn't better himself as a young Gai did. So when Gai offered him help, he graciously accepted, because he wasn't just offering help. He was offering something no one else had bothered to give him, recognition. With that recognition came friendship, something else Lee had never had. He gave Lee things he had never been offered before, so Lee vowed to protect him.

Then Lee got his team.

Lee watched as Neji put down people. He watched as Neji put up walls. They didn't show it the same way, but Lee knew why he did it. He was proven correct when he made his final observation. Lee watched as Neji trained himself to exhaustion. Neji wanted recognition. _That_ is something Lee knew all too well. He also knew Neji wouldn't accept help. So he challenged him instead, because having someone to compete with, having someone recognize your talents was better than having no one, it was better than getting no recongnition at all. He liked when Neji talked down to him for doing so. It meant that it was working. Neji seemed like a confused and frustrated little boy. Neji _was_ a confused frustrated little boy, but only Lee noticed. So Lee vowed to protect him.

Lee watched as Tenten smiled. He watched as she constantly gave without ever taking. They didn't show it the same way, but Lee knew why she did it. He was proven correct when he made his final observation. Lee watched as she trained herself to exhausion. Tenten wanted friendship. _That_ is something Lee knew all too well. He also knew that Tenten wouldn't accept pity. So he took what she had to give, but always gave back, because having one friend was better than having no one at all. He liked when she smiled at him for doing so. It meant that it was working. She seemed so fragile when she gave him that awkward smile, because she wasn't used to taking. Tenten _was_ fragile, but only Lee noticed. So Lee vowed to protect her.

After their first year, the team was a well-oiled machine. Neji was their leader, and Tenten and Lee looked up to and admired him. Tenten was their balance, their glue, their mediator, and Neji and Lee treasured her. Lee was their protector, and Neji and Tenten respected and relyed on him. Because those were the parts they were born to play. It's who they are.

And Tenten didn't think it was fair. Despite Neji's amazing eyes, and his 355 degree sight, Lee was the one always looking out for the team. For Gai. For Neji. For her.

They all knew that if someone was in trouble, Lee would be the first one to help. He wouldn't try to use cold calculation to make a plan. He wouldn't try to locate the vital points on the perpetrator's body to hit him with steel. No. If someone was in trouble, dangerous or not, Lee was there. He was always there when anyone needed him.

So he saves pink-haired girls from ninjas he _knows _are out of his league. Because he's a protector, and his range stretches far beyond his team.

He gave Neji recognition, he gave Tenten friendship, and he gave them both a brother. He gave Gai an apprentice and a son. He gave them all a reason to survive, because sooner or later the protector was going to need some protection.

The village recognizes his taijutsu, his bowl hair, and his shiny teeth. His team recognizes his friendship, his selflessness, and his big heart. Because he is their protector. And they know it.

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Author's Note: I really don't know where this came from, but I came up with it after reading people's reviews on my last story, so if any of you are reading this, THANK YOU SO MUCH! Please give me more reviews on what you think, because this is only my second story! Thanks for reading!

**Fun Fact: While writing this I was listening to 'Bruised' by Jack's Mannequin**


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